Brown Longs for a Different World

“Why is it,” laughs Charnele Brown, “that when a black director makes a film, it’s a black film, but when a white director makes a film, it’s just a film?”

Brown, who plays Kimberly Reese on NBC’s popular sitcom “A Different World,” has spent a lot of time pondering racial inequities in Hollywood. Her tone is light, but the issue is serious: “I would like to play the different kinds of roles Michelle Pfeiffer and Meryl Streep get to play,” she says. “But there’s nothing for me. It’s weird when you (have to ask your agent), ‘Is there anything for me, are there any black films?’ ”

Brown, who appeared on Broadway as the first American member of “Sarafina!,” says she has a hard time mimicking the speech and behavior patterns that Hollywood stereotypes as “black.”

“Instead of saying ‘dat,’ I’ll say ‘that,’ ” she explains. “I went out for one gig, and they were telling me, ‘You need more pizazz.’ What they really wanted to say was, ‘You need to be more black.’ ”

She laughs again. “I can’t even roll my neck,” she says. “It hurts!”

This week, Brown’s character on “A Different World” will also explore stereotypes--in an episode called “Mammy Dearest.”

As far as modern history goes, Brown is optimistic that Hollywood will eventually change. “We are going to change it,” she says of her generation of actors. “We’re not coming in as militants, we’re just going to show we can do it.”